United Federal Assembly (Switzerland)
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| United Federal Assembly (Switzerland) | |
|---|---|
| Name | United Federal Assembly |
| Native name | Vereinigte Bundesversammlung |
| Legislature | Federal Assembly of Switzerland |
| House type | Joint session of bicameral legislature |
| Established | 1848 |
| Meeting place | Federal Palace, Bern |
United Federal Assembly (Switzerland) is the joint meeting of the two chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Swiss Confederation convened for specific constitutional and statutory responsibilities. The Assembly meets in the Federal Palace in Bern and performs functions distinct from the individual National Council (Switzerland), Council of States (Switzerland), Federal Council (Switzerland), Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, Cantons of Switzerland, and other federal institutions. The Assembly's proceedings intersect with actors such as the President of the Confederation, Federal Chancellor (Switzerland), Cantonal parliaments, Swiss Federal Audit Office, and diplomatic envoys.
Overview and Function
The United Federal Assembly convenes to exercise constitutional duties defined by the Swiss Constitution, including election of the Federal Council (Switzerland), appointment of judges to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, and decisions on federal representation and immunity; these duties link the Assembly with Swiss referendums, Popular initiative (Switzerland), Federal Chancellery (Switzerland), Parliamentary immunity in Switzerland, and Inter-Parliamentary Union. The Assembly also deals with matters such as setting the seat of federal authorities, awarding decorations like the Order of Merit (Switzerland), and managing ties with international organizations including the United Nations, Council of Europe, European Free Trade Association, and World Trade Organization. Its special functions connect to events such as the Federal elections in Switzerland, Federal Assembly elections 2019, Swiss neutrality, and historic acts tied to the Federal Constitution of 1874 and the Federal Constitution of 1999.
Composition and Members
Membership of the United Federal Assembly consists of all members of the National Council (Switzerland) and the Council of States (Switzerland), bringing together representatives from Swiss political parties such as the Swiss People's Party, Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, FDP.The Liberals, Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland, and regional parties from Graubünden, Geneva, Vaud, and Ticino. Prominent figures who have participated include former Federal Councillors like Willi Ritschard, Kurt Furgler, Micheline Calmy-Rey, and parliamentary leaders such as Christoph Blocher, Ruth Dreifuss, Ueli Maurer, and Simonetta Sommaruga. Members represent cantonal interests from entities like Canton of Zurich, Canton of Bern, Canton of Vaud, Canton of Aargau, and are linked to cantonal executives like Government of Canton Zurich and cantonal courts.
Sessions and Procedures
The United Federal Assembly meets in joint session in the United Federal Assembly Hall, following procedures set out by the Parliamentary Services of Switzerland, Rules of Procedure of the Federal Assembly, and historical precedents dating to the Swiss Federal Treaty of 1815 and 19th-century constitutional conventions. Sessions are chaired by the President of the National Council (Switzerland) and the President of the Council of States (Switzerland) in alternation, with administrative support from the Federal Chancellery (Switzerland), Federal Assembly administrative offices, and clerks influenced by the practices of assemblies such as the Prussian House of Lords and the British House of Commons in comparative studies. Voting methods include secret ballots for elections, majority votes for nominations, and procedural motions echoing practices from international bodies like the European Parliament, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the Nordic Council.
Powers and Responsibilities
The Assembly's exclusive powers include election of the Federal Council (Switzerland), selection of judges for the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, appointment of the Federal Chancellor (Switzerland), and decisions concerning federal representation at sites including Bern, Geneva, and Lausanne. It also deals with matters of parliamentary privilege, impeachment-like procedures related to the Federal Tribunal, oversight linked to the Swiss Federal Audit Office, and awards such as national honors associated with the Swiss Guards and historic commemorations like the Swiss National Day. These responsibilities interact with instruments such as federal decrees, constitutional amendments (Switzerland), popular votes, and inter-cantonal agreements like the Concordat of 1833.
Historical Development
The Assembly evolved from the post-1848 federal structures established after the Sonderbund War and the drafting of the Federal Constitution of 1848, with later reforms in the Federal Constitution of 1874 and Federal Constitution of 1999 shaping its role. Key historical episodes include debates during the Culture War (Switzerland), shifts in party systems involving the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, the Catholic Conservative Party, and the rise of the Swiss Socialist movement, as well as episodes tied to neutrality during the World War I and World War II. Reforms addressing representation and procedure were influenced by comparative developments in the Reichstag (German Empire), French National Assembly, and constitutional scholarship from figures like Wilhelm Oechsli and Fritz Glauser.
Relationship with Federal Council and Judiciary
The Assembly's relationship with the Federal Council (Switzerland), including interactions with councillors such as Alain Berset and Ignazio Cassis, is defined by constitutional election powers, oversight mechanisms, and ceremonial functions; it balances executive selection with independence of the executive branch akin to the dynamics observed in the Westminster system and the French Fifth Republic. Its judicial appointments link it to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland and judges such as former justices from Federal Supreme Court cases; these links maintain judicial independence while enabling legislative appointment comparable to models in the United States Senate confirmations and parliamentary procedures in the German Bundestag. The Assembly also engages with the Federal Prosecutor (Switzerland), Cantonal courts, and international judicial bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights in matters touching Swiss constitutional law.